Monday, July 02, 2007

Jpod! Lpod! Humpbacks!


(Complimentary eCard, click to download)

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(Humpback Whale)


Wow! Today was a very busy whale day! At noon we ventured close to home, Race Rocks where all of Jpod were returning from the west and were traveling in resting behavior. They were grouped together nicely in a bunch and also in a line. Got an epic view of them against the Olympic Mountain Range. After such an amazing spectacle, we headed out to Sooke in search of humpback whales, as there have been 2 in the area. We found one, who was quite calm, making lazy dives, just barely lifting his tail flukes out of the water.


(Complimentary eCard, click to download)

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This afternoon we found ourselves in a similar place but different whales! Lpod was coming in from the west also, (one can only assume what took place in the night ;) and were quite active on their way past Race Rocks. Big lunges, cartwheeling, porpoising, breaching, tail slapping. spyhops, groups traveling in 2-5's. Flash / L73 is reminding me a bit of Ruffles / J1 with that fin of his. He is a big boy who was traveling along side with what appeared to be another jouvenile male possibly his brother? Nyssa / L84 which was cool to see. They came up and broke the surface very close to one another almost touching it seemed. Saw the other part of the family on the other side of us; Saanich / L74 and mom Tanya / L5 with Indigo / L100 and I also assume Ino / L54..

Next, we headed towards Sooke where we caught another glimpse a different humpback. We spotted the second one way out in the Strait. We cruised through Race Rocks, admiring the bird life, seals and talking about Elephant seals and pinnipeds then caught up with Lpod for a final peek. They were now traveling a few miles spread apart in small groups, maybe 4 miles off the Victoria waterfront. The big males sped off into the distance, framing Mount Baker who towered so big behind them. A grand way to end a grand day!

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